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White Horse Challenge medal

The forecast for the Sunday of this years White Horse was for showers possibly heavy with a fairly fresh wind from the SW. It was drizzling as I drove down from Oxford but in the end stayed dry and warm with some sunshine and stiff breeze.

The first few kilometres up to Highworth are roly poly which always seems to catch me out, and rather contradict the description of this ride that claims ‘the first 40k of the ride are virtually flat’.

I managed to tag on to the end of a  group from BAD Tri then teamed up with a guy riding a stealth black Specialized called Andy, he was going strong and we picked up a number of other cyclists as we rode through Wootton Bassett which is instantly recognisable from the TV images of the processions. I was feeling strong up the first climbs at Broad Town and Cherhill and managed to keep up a decent pace through the stone circles at Avebury and all the way to Marlborough and the second feed stop at Froxfield. It was then at the three and a half hour mark that I began to feel the effects of the hills on my legs and the speed began to drop off.

The long straight climb up to the Ridgeway after leaving Lambourn felt heavy and slow so I was paying the price for starting fast out of the gate. Regardless of the pain the climb up the Uffington White was still beautiful and thanks to the guy with his two children ringing that cowbell and blowing their whistles. From Uffington it is a short dash to the finish at Shrivenham and boy was I glad to finish.

Next year I will be back, better stronger fitter faster! See below for Garmin Connect details of my ride, pedal turn by pedal turn…